That's Just The Way It Is
by Miss Mistake Maker
Summary: When the daughter of Lucy and Natsu is left alone, she survives on her own. 10 years later, she finds herself in the middle of a hard decision. Should she admit a dark guild member that left Fairy Tail hanging all those years ago back into the guild or should he stay out of the guild forever? She also finds romance that she didn't know was possible and horror. What will she find?
1. Intro

_I never asked for a weird name_

_I never wanted to be the daughter of a legend_

_I dislike any fighting over me_

_I didn't want more complications _

_I hate that my love is a forbidden one_

_I never wanted any of this!_

_But… I can't change what happened or what will happen_

_Because-_

_That's just the way it is._


	2. Chapter 1

I remember it like yesterday. Mom called me into the kitchen. I was 9.

"Igneella!" She called, her voice loud and piercing, yet sweet and kind.

"Yes, mommy?" I ran in, my scarf around my forehead and my two celestial keys jingling against my "Wizard's in training" kiddy belt.

"Daddy and I are-"

"Mommy! Look, I'm just like daddy!" I bring my fists to my mouth, preparing for giant flames to whisk out and burn down my kitchen table. Instead of a fireplace coming out of me, two black puffs of smoke came out and my mom laughed from amusement.

"Iggy, don't worry. You'll get there with training and hard work. Now, listen, my little spark…" That was my nickname when she wanted a serious conversation. "Daddy and I are leaving for a little while… Don't worry, though. We'll be back soon." She smiles and I nod. I was use to my parents leaving and coming back. One day a week, rarely two. She gave me this speech every time… I didn't think, at the age of 9, that I would miss these repetitive talks.

I watched at she and daddy packed the car. I admired her blond, straight hair and her curvy figure. She was truly beautiful, and I remember how much I wanted to be like her. I had pink hair that, at halfway down (about around my neck), ombre-d blond, and ended at my lower thigh. I prayed that I would grow and have a figure like hers and hair just as blond.

When my parents dropped me off at Fairy Tail, my second home where I would stay with Aunt Wendy when Mom and Dad were gone, my father smiled at me, fangs and all. He scooped me up in his arms.

"My little spark! Mommy and I will be back soon, okay?" I nodded and he continued, "and don't let that Fullbuster bring you down while I'm gone. He's coming and when you meet 'm, get fired up and yell about it!"

"Now I've got a fire in my belly!" I shook my tiny fists in the air, then bringing them down and cracking my knuckles. I felt the numbing pain in my little hands. "Ow! Daddy that hurt!" I whined and he chuckled.

"Iggy! Don't crack your knuckles. It will make your hands swell up and look like balloons!" Mom yelled and I nodded obediently.

Aunt Wendy came over and smiled. She took me from my dad and put me down. "I'll take good care of her, Natsu."

"You always do, Wendy." He and mom hugged her, then me.

"Igneella… Remember, this guild is family, too. Stay close and don't stray from home." My dad kissed my head and, after that, I watched the Great Salamander and his gorgeous Celestial Wizard wife leave home.

Little did I know, the job they signed up for would last a very long time.

Forever, that is.

It's been 10 years since they left, 9 since the news stated that the two greatest wizarding team of all time had gone missing, 8 since I had given up looking for them and excepted the fact that they were most likely killed on the job, 7 since I had come home from S-Class trials to an empty house, 6 since I had been claimed as the youngest wizarding genius in Wizarding Magazine, 5 since I had girl issues and no mother to discuss them with, 4 since my first crush had broken my heart and I cried to myself, no dad ready to kill the boy or mom petting her daughters head to make her feel better, 3 since I had defeated an evil army of dark guild wizards and no one yelled at me about it being too dangerous, 2 since my hatred for the world except Fairy Tail deepened, and 1 since I had given up all hope.

Many people tell me the same exact thing. "You look exactly like Natsu and Lucy."

I always have the same reaction. _Deep breaths. Fake the smile. Contain it. _"Thanks"_ Walk away. _

This had been my like since they left. I'm 19.

Today, I walk to the guild, seventeen keys on my bely, scarf around my neck, and a piano-like weight on my chest.

"Hey Iggy!" Snowelle calls for me, standing in front of the guild as I feel the weight lift like it does every time I'm at the guild with my family.

Snowelle's short, blue bob swishes as she runs to me a, her small chest and body bouncing. She is always smiling, blue eyes always sparking, body always cold. I admire her courage that even though she has a child-like chest size, she wears a tankini top (constantly stripping it, anyway), hip-hugging jeans that flair at the calf, and black ballet slippers.

"Iggy! C'mon, you gotta see 'm."

"Who?"

"Remember Fried? Laxus's friend?"

"Yes, his son left the guild when he was 7 to join a dark guild."

"He's here! Rystan-sama is here!"

"_What?! Why?!_ He's part of a _dark guild!_'

"So? He's so hot!" I roll my eyes at her. She's always talking about boys. I, on the other hand, couldn't care less about the opposite sex. I saw them every day in action at the guild and wanted no part of them.

Mystaga quietly walked to us, her black cape billowing in the small breeze, Her long legs and average sized feet hit the ground without a sound, her shorts meeting her upper-thigh. I'd heard so many arguments about those shorts. Her dad, Jellal, didn't approve of them, but her mom, Erza (my Aunt and guild master), loved them. I always knew that Mystaga would wear them anyway because no one tells her what to do.

She came to us without a word. Finally, she spoke, "Rystan is asking for the strongest wizard in the guild, so I went out to find you." A strand of ruby red hair fell in front of her eye- the one without the tattoo. Her high-heeled, black boots step closer to me, "What is your reply?"

"Let me talk to him." I excused myself, walking past the two girls. She just called me the strongest in the guild, I thought, suddenly getting a little nervous and feeling as if my dark red, short shirt was strangling me. My long black skirt was clinging to my legs while I walked. I started to walk faster and pick up the front of my skirt, showing my black, high-heeled booties.

From outside the guild, I could hear the yelling.

"What does he want?" Aunt Wendy.

"He's talkin' to Erza, don't worry. She'll take care of it." Gray

"But why is he here?" Aunt Wendy

"…" Whispering?

"He won't lay a finger on her? I promised Natsu I'd protect her and I intend on keeping that-"

I had heard enough. I slammed open the door to hear a sudden silence. I pierced my gaze toward everyone and got to Bloom, the daughter of Evergreen and Elfman, who worked at the bar.

"Where is he?' My words came out like fire and they burned through her tough, cocky exterior.

"With Erza." She pointed to her office and I was already halfway there. I knocked on the door. Erza answered.

"Igneella I-"

"Iggy. Aunt Erza, don't." I saw Erza, Fried, and him. Mint green hair down to his butt, dark violet eyes that are ready to kill, and nimble fingers that could swing his sword at me at any moment, and a beautiful face that- like Snowelle said- was hot.

A beautiful face that could faze any girl.

That is, any girl but a Dragneel.

"Why are you here?"

"I want to come home…" _Home…_

"_We'll be home soon." Home…_

"_Don't stray from home." Home…_

_Mom… Dad…_

"No. Now, get out." And with that as my final word on the subject, I stormed out of the guild office.

I lay on my couch after running home, crying. People say home all of the time, so why am I so emotional right now?

As I am thinking, I hear a knock on my door. I get up and look through the peephole, then opening the door to let them in.

"Thank Makarov you're okay! You ran so fast, you almost lite the ground on fire!"

"I know." I closed the door once Snowelle and Lily were inside.

Lily is the daughter of Gajeel and Levy Redfox, a dragon-slayer like me. She uses iron, like I use fire, but she isn't as patient. She's tiny, about 4 foot 11 and almost completely flat chested with red, doe eyes and nail heads lining her blue eye brows and bunny-hill nose, then 9 piercing's in each ear.

She sits down, her mini skirt crumpling a little. Lily picked up my phone. "You're about to get a message." My phone rang my favorite song, signaling that I had gotten a message.

"Who's it from?" Snowelle was already laying on my couch, slippers off with her bare feet on my coffee table.

"Dunno, but they aren't in your phone." 

"Weird. What's it say?" Snowelle gulps down a lot of water.

"It says 'Coming to you. Bringing some friends.' Talk about creepy." Lily tosses me the phone and I catch it then putting it down.

"Hey, got snacks?"

"And more water?"

"Of course! Fridge is always stocked and… every human-being has water, Snow."

"Hey! Just checking!" She grabs a glass, then getting some water while I start smelling someone- or more accurately, some _beast_- at my door with some boys I knew and some I could recall.

"You smellin' that?" Lily nudges me and all I can do is nod, scowling at my door.

Two loud knocks. "Hey, it's me. You home? I brought some friends." Karo calls. He's a family friend of mine back at the guild. I knew his smell anywhere from the wretched stench of alcohol. He had a bad habit of chugging down beer or wine, then hooking up with some random chick and running to me for help. He was trying to break the habit because he saw how his single mother, an alcoholic, and his grandpa, a heartthrob, were and hated it.

I open the door to see him with Ron (Lily's older brother), Dustin (Bloom, Miranna, and Manny's brother), two boys I've never seen- although one looks vaguely familiar- and him.

Rystan.

"What is this?" I light one fist of fire as I feel Lily getting excited to fight, her wicked smile forming. There's a loud crash from behind us and I turn to see Snowelle, puddles at her feet from broken glass of water she dropped, crying.

"Icell?" Was all she could manage before freaking out and putting the boy that was familiar into a water-lock ball. **"You left me!" **She screamed at him.

"I guess it's attack time!" Lily turned her hand into a sledgehammer and before she slugged her brother in the face, I grabbed her.

"**EVERYONE STOP!" **I yelled, trying to get their attention. It worked. "I understand that you two are upset and the boys are pretty dumb for coming here, but we can not battle in my house. I can't afford to repair it, so please use self control."

Snowelle retracted her attack and Lily returned her hand back to normal. "What are you all here for?"

"To see you, of course." Ron snorted and I glared at him. He immediately shrank.

"Any specific topic you want to cover?" I asked, keeping my cool.

"We're here to persuade you to let Rystan into the guild."

"Then you are wasting your time. Once you leave Fairy Tail, you shall not return."

"But my dad did." The other boy spoke. I didn't know him. "My father is Laxus. I am Leonardo"

"That's great for you, but he wasn't let back into the guild, he stuck around it and helped protect it. Now, Leonardo, you aren't helping your friend." ZI turned and sat on the couch. "Please, don't waste my time-" Something stopped me from talking. Some warm wrapped around me and I just stood there, being hugged.

"Please, Igneell-" 

"Iggy. It's Iggy." I corrected him. Dustin. He was a smart boy, but he lost all brains if he was touching me. He had brown, longish hair. It was a skater-boy cut. That was his style. He wore skinny jeans with chains hanging down and an gray, over–sized sweatshirt that had the Japanese word "Ride" on it. He wore black and white Converse, where under his sweatshirt, a green tee shirt was. It was V-neck so you could see his muscles in every stitch. It clung to him tight enough that I'm surprised he could breath.

"Please, Iggy. Have mercy and let him in."

"What did Erza say?"

"She said it was up to you. Your word was law on this topic."

"…" I thought for a second, then said, "We'll see. Be at the guild tomorrow. Early."

And from there, the two girls and I rushed the boys out and relaxed. The day was finally over.


	3. Chapter 2

At 8:00am the next day, I woke up to my roommate, Snowelle, cooking waffles. I still remember when I asked her to be my roommate and teammate. She was practically jumping up and down.

"Of course! I'd love to!" She pulled me around the guild until I saw Mr. Fullbuster. "Daddy, Iggy asked me to move in with her!"

"Move in with baby Nats-"

"Mr. Fullbuster, with all due respect, please do not call my by my father's name. I am my own person and I would appreciate if you called me Iggy."

"Of course, Iggy. Sorry 'bout that. Are you sure, Snow?"

"Yes, Daddy. We're also on a team now and we're going to ask Wendell and Mystaga."

Gray laughed while Juvia, his wife, smiled. "Juvia remembers when Gray-sama was on a team with Erza, Wendy, Lucy and Nats-"

At that point, I had heard enough and Snowelle knew it, too.

"_Mom!_" Snowelle whisper-yelled. "Watch yourself and who you talk about! It's _insensitive_!" Snow hugged me, her blue eyes glaring at her mom. Juvia, who was pregnant at the time, made mistakes like that often.

I stood up, sniffing in the delightful aroma.

"Iggy, come and get it while it's hot." She never cooks. Something is definitely going on that she wants from me, I walked to the kitchen and see her in her snowflake apron, smiling at me and holding out a dish of food. "Eat up!"

I slowly sit and start eating the fluffy carbs. When I finish the delicious food, I look at her seriously.

"Snowelle, what is this ab-"

"Want anything else to eat?"

"No, but-"

"Drink?"

"No, Snow-"

"Are ya sure?"

"_Snowelle!_" I stand with the loud bang of my hands slamming on the table.

"Rystan really wants in on the guild. He's on the porch, waiting to talk to you!" She holds the frying pan in front of her head, protecting herself from my fires of anger. "I'm sorry!"

I held it in today. "We will talk about the after." I start walking to the porch, telling myself that it is time for rejection. When I saw him, I was shocked. His eyes were bloodshot and puffy, his clothes were messy, and his hair was knotty. He was siting on my outside chairs.

"Igne-"

"Iggy. Just- Iggy." He stood to his feet, than looked down at me. I was much shorter than him, but I was still more intimidating.

"Please." He hugged me and I just stared ahead, wanting to run and hide. When he was done touching me, I looked him in the eyes and he whispered to me softly, repeating himself. "Please, Iggy… I'll do anything. Just say your command and I will obey-"

"You will never touch me without permission again. That is first. Second, you will be loyal to Fairy Tail and all of the members. Lastly, you will be on my team at all times under my care and surveillance. There will bot be a moment where I don't know where you are. If you understand and accept these rules, you may become a member of the guild." I looked past him. "Until you earn my truth and respect, those are the terms."

He reaches toward me, then retracts, remembering my first rule. "May I come in and talk to my new teammate?"

"Of course you can!" Snowelle comes from practically nowhere and drags him to the kitchen, a confused and scared expression on his face.

"Snowelle." The authority in my voice sometimes even scares Mystaga, but I never back down with my tone. :Rystan isn't a toy. Don't break your new teammate. I have the responsibility of watching him, for the guild's sake." I follow, observing how welcoming my best friend is. We get along so well, yet are complete opposites.

"Sorry Iggy!" She cleans up while talking. "So Rystan-sama. Who were those boys yesterday?"

"Those were a couple of my old guild members. They came to join as well."

"I don't remember discussing this…"

"I haven't mentioned it yet. That was my next question." He sips his water. "Igne-"

"Iggy."

"Right. They need Fairy Tail's help. Icell and Leonardo are in trouble as well."

"Please, Iggy. Let them in." Snowelle grabs my hand.

"Fine. I don't care." I swing my hand from my grip and fold my arms under my above-average sized chest, looking away. "If they wreak havoc on our guild, I am to blame."

"Thank you-"

"But the same regulations go for them as well."

"We can't have everyone on our team."

"Then it is settled. I'll be breaking off of our group for a while."

"What?!"

"You heard me, Snowelle. This discussion is over." I go to my room and become one with my bed. That was exhausting.

After a 30 minute nap, I woke up at 9:00, then getting in the shower, brushing my teeth, washing my face, blow-drying my hair, and doing my make-up. Once I leave my private bathroom, I can hear the conversation in the living room between four people: Snowelle, Rystan, Icell and Leonardo. I know it's wrong to eavesdrop, but it _is_ my house as well. I snuck around the corner.

"I'm sorry again for her. Ever since her parents, um… disappeared, she is a little rough around the edges. When you get to know her, she's really nice." Snowelle is almost too nice and sweet.

"That's not a problem. She reminds me of Erza, the ninth master of Fairy Tail." I can smell Leonardo. His stench is a mixture of lemonade, beer, and electricity. It literally shocks my nose. By that, I can tell he uses lightning, just like his father, Laxus Dreyar. "She's stern."

"Icell? You are awfully quiet. What is wrong?" Rystan's scent is… unusual. It is quite attractive. It consists of a musk cologne and a warm fire with a tiny bit of mint from his breath. It is refreshing to not smell stale beer or rain for once.

"Snowelle, can Icell speak with you? Alone?" Icell has a very deep voice. He smells of rain and snow; the almost exact scent that Snowelle bears.

I continued watching Rystan and Leonardo cautiously, knowing they might be powerful. I hear them quietly chat.

"I wonder if Igneella is awake yet." I grinded my extremely sharp k-9's at the sound of my full name. "You and Icell should thank her yourselves. It is only just."

"I'll do what I gotta to ease her and then, I'll strike like a bolt!"

"What are you imposing?"

"Make her fall in love with me by springing a kiss on her." Leonardo smirks while I gasped. Rystan stood up and looked in my direction.

"Did you hear that?" He walked closer. "It was a small, but sharp breath, and it came from Igneella's slumber area." He was so close that I almost choked on that wondrous scent. I kept my breath steady and my "fussing" low.

"Rystan, I didn't hear anything."

"No, Leonardo. I heard it. I know I did." He finally closes the distance and is right in front of me. He stares at me and we are both silent. Neither of us know what to say, just breathing. "Leonardo, I'll be back soon."

"M'kay! Beware of the dragon." Leonardo laughs as I look down in shame.

"Come. We shall talk in private." He whispered as we tip-toed to the porch. I sit down as he looks me over.


End file.
